Means for withdrawing liquid from a container



- Inventor BRUCE DUVHL t Attorneys.

- RGER STIMA/6E Wlw/NGwN MayflO, 1955 B. DUVAL ErAL MEANS RoR wITRnRAwIN LIQUID FROM A CONTAINER Filed July 9 1951i United States Patent C MEANS FR WITHDRAWING LIQUID FRM A CUNTAINER Bruce Envoi, Ewell, and Rogor Strange Waddington, Epsom, England Application `uly 9, 1951, Serial No. 235,692

Claims priority, application Great Britain July 14, 1950 6 Claims. (Cl. 222-482) This invention is concerned with improvements in or relating to means for withdrawing liquid from a container and has for an object to provide a push-pull tap for liquid-containing vessels which is simple both in its construction and in operation.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a liquidtransfer device comprising a tube having an inlet port and an outlet port disposed apart along the length thereof and having abutments at or adjacent each end thereof, said abutments extending radially beyond the peripheral surface of the tube, said tube being adapted to reciprocate along such a part of its length through a wall oi a liquid-containing vessel as will position both said ports, in one position of the tube, on one and the same side of said wall and in another position will position said ports one on either side of said wall, said abutments restraining complete removal of the tube from reciprocable relationship with said wall.

It will be appreciated that when the tube is in such a position that both ports are on one and the same side of the wall there is no passageway communicating from one side of the wall to the other. lt will be appreciated that it does not matter on which side of the wall the two ports lie and further that on reciprocating the tube with respect to the Wall, either by pushing or pulling it from the outside, it may be brought into such a position that the two ports lie one on either side of the wall. In this position of the tube there is provided a passageway, cornmunicating from one side of the wall to the other, through which liquid may flow from Within the Vessel to the outside, the ow of liquid being shut off merely by pushing or pulling the tube into the first-mentioned position.

The invention also includes a tap as dened above adapted for use in co-operative relationship with closure means for a liquid-containing vessel comprising a metallic cap having a natural or synthetic rubber or like disc lying Within the periphery and held above or beneath the top thereof, said metallic cap having an opening in the top thereof through which said tap may be passed to pass through said disc and be held reciprocably thereby at a point intermediate the abutments,

The invention furthermore includes closure means as set out above.

Additionally the invention includes a vessel for con'- taining liquid having an orifice with a surrounding upstanding rim, a metallic cap held over said orifice, said metallic cap having an opening in the top thereof and av natural or synthetic rubber or like disc lying within the periphery and held above or beneath the top thereof, there being passed through said opening and the adjacent rubber or like disc a tap comprising a tube having an inlet port and an outlet port disposed apart along the length thereof and having abutments at or adjacent each end thereof, said abutments extending radially beyond the peripheral surface of the tube, said tube lbeing adapted to reciprocate along such a part of its length through said rubber or like disc as will position both said ports,

2,798,058 Patented May 10, 1955 in one position of the tube, on one and the same side of said disc and in another position will position said ports one on either side of said disc, said abutments restraining complete removal of the tube from reciprocable relationship with said disc.

Said cap is preferably a metallic spring cap in which the skirt portion is cut into a plurality of sections which on applying pressure to the top of the cap will fly outwardly to enable the cap to be placed over or removed from the orifice which it is adapted to close, removal of pressure from the top of the cap causing the sections of the skirt portion to fly back into position, whereby the cap is clamped to the orifice it is adapted to close.

The rubber or like disc through which the tap of this invention is passed grips the tap Suiliciently firmly to form a liquid-tight seal between the disc and tap and yet sufficiently loosely to permit easy reciprocation of the tap. The disc may already have formed therein an opening for the tap and the closure device and tap may be sold in situ in the closure device. Alternatively, the closure device may be marketed and used as such despite the presence of an opening in the rubber disc by the use of a supplementary disc, for instance of aluminium foil, lying between the rubber disc and the top of the cap. Such supplementary disc may be present whether or not the rubber disc has a preformed opening.

Thus there will be cases in which either the rubber disc, or a supplementary disc if present, or both, will Vrequire to be pierced before the tap can be passed through. in such a case the tap can suitably be formed with the inner end pointed or sharpened to act itself as a piercer.

So that the invention may be more readily understood, various embodiments'thereof are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l shows in side elevation one form of tap according to our invention,

Figure 2 shows in diametric section one form of closure means according to our invention and suitable for use in cooperation with the tap Shown in Figure l.

Figure 3 shows in side elevation another form of tap according to the invention in co-operative relationship with a second form of closure means shown in diametric section according to the invention,

Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views of two further embodiments of our tap, with the walls in part broken away to disclose the interior construction, and

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of yet a further embodiment ot' our tap.

in one embodiment of the invention, as shown in Figure l, the tap is formed in the shape of an L from cylindrical tubing. The tube is open at the end of the shorter limb 2 to provide the outlet port 4 and the bend or elbow itself together with the shorter limb 2 acts as an abutment means to prevent the tap being pushed right through the rubber disc through which it is to be reciprocable. The end of the longer limb is closed with a pointed cone o, to act as a piercer, and having a peripheral flange S formed around the base to act as an abutment. The inlet port is formed as a circular orice 3 half-way along the length of the longer limb on the side distant from the shorter limb 2. When this is within the liquid-containing vessel liquid will be delivered but when it is withdrawn the iiow will cease.

A closure device for use in co-operation with this form of the tap is shown in Figure 2. lt comprises a metallic spring cap 7 with a skirt portion S formedl with a concentric orifice 9 in the upper part to receive the longer limb of the tap of Figure l. Lying within the cap is a rubber disc lil and between this disc and the upper part of the cap is a supplementary disc 11 ot aluminum foil. The cone 6 on the tap of Figure l will pierce the foil and rubber discs when pressed through the orifice 9 for the first time.

In another embodiment of the invention, as shown in Figure 3, the tap is formed as a straight cylindrical metal tube 12 with one end open to provide the inlet port 13. The other end is closed with means to provide a nger grip 14 and having a circular ange 1S to act as abutment. The outlet port is formed as a circular orifice 16 in the length of the tube adjacent the finger grip and associated flange. Thus in the oft the tap will be pushed home and not project inconveniently. The flow through the tap or tube will be such that a slight tilt of the container will allow air to replace the liquid running out and therefore no second hole need be provided in the container. Three, four, or more short longitudinal slits are formed in the tube at the inlet port end, either be fore or after the tube has been passed through the cap, and the several metallic flaps 2f) are bent outwardly to provide abutment means restraining complete withdrawal of the tap from the cap 17 and its associated rubber washer 19, the cap being shown mounted on the flanged opening of a liquid containing vessel, not shown.

lt will be appreciated that in cases where the liquid container with which the means for the withdrawal of liquid therefrom is to be used is a container having no other opening therein for the entry of air to replace the liquid withdrawn, it may prove desirable to provide means for the ingress of air to the container otherwise than through the outlet orifice since in cases where air has to be drawn into the vessel through the withdrawal means the flow of liquid through the withdrawal means would not be steady. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide means whereby liquid may be withdrawn in a steady stream from an otherwise closed container.

Accordingly therefore, according to a preferred feature of the invention the means according to the present invention for the withdrawal of liquid from a container is provided. in cases where it is to be used for the withdrawal of liquid from an otherwise closed container, with a gas inlet or inlets therein for the passage of gas in countercurrent to the liquid flow, said gas inlet or inlets communicating with a gas reservoir within the tube having a gas outlet above the level of the gas inlet, said gas outlet being of lesser cross-sectional area than that of the gas inlet or inlets and the liquid inlet port and said gas outlet being adapted to communicate with the interior of the liquid container.

ln one embodiment of the invention, as shown in Figure 4, provided with this preferred feature the liquid withdrawal means comprises a cylindrical metal tube 21 closed at one end by a metal plate 22 whose circumference is greater than that of the metal tube itself whereby the plate extends beyond the periphery of the tube in the form of a flange acting as an abutment. Mounted on this plate is, at right-angles thereto, a further metal plate or boss 23 to act as a finger grip. Adjacent that end of the tube provided with the closure plate and finger grip is a circular orifice 24. A D-shaped metal septum 25 is provided within the tube at right-angles to the longitudinal axis thereof with its circumference passing diametrically through the orifice 24 to divide it into two, and with its straight edge passing through the longitudinal axis of the tube. Running from the straight edge of this septum along the middle of the tube and with its long edges welded to the inner surfaces of the tube is metal plate 26 extending to that end of the tube distant from the end provided with the closure plate 22 and linger grip 23, a further 'i3-shaped plate or septum 27 closing that semi-circular segment of the end of the tube opposite to that containing the orifice 24. lt will thus be seen that there is provided a long straight plate 26 within the tube having at each end, and set on opposite sides of the plate 26 and at right-angles thereto, two D-shaped pieces 2S and 27 so formed and disposed as to divide the tube longitudinally along part of its length into two sections, one of which is to provide a passage 28 for the out-ow of liquid from the container and the other of which acts as a surge chamber 29 having an inlet (one half of the orifice 24) for air from the atmosphere and an air outlet 3f) of lesser cross-sectional area than that of the air inlet.

in the surge chamber so formed there is provided, adjacent that end distant from the completely closed end, an air outlet 30. Between the air outlet 30 and the circular orifice 24 a raised ridge 42 is formed circumferentially around the tube to act as an abutment.

In another embodiment of the invention incorporating this preferred feature of the invention and shown in Figure 5, the liquid withdrawal means also comprises a straight cylindrical tube 31 closed at one end by a dished plate 32 so disposed as to provide a concave closed end to the tube, a bar or rod 33 being disposed across this closed end and the concave surface presented, to act as a finger grip. The other end of the tube is left open, two oppositely disposed pairs of short longitudinal slits being cut therein to form flaps 34, 35 which are turned outwardly to form abutrnents. Two circular orifices 36, 37 are formed in the tube adjacent the closed end with their centers lying on a line parallel to the longitudinal axis, a transverse septum 38 being formed transversely across the tube between these two orifices, a small aperture 39 being formed therein, of lesser crosssectional area than that of the circular orifice 37, at a point on the septum close to the periphery thereof and distant from the two orifices 36, 37, to act as an air outlet to the air reservoir 40 formed by the septum 38, the air inlet to which is comprised by orifice 37. Between the closed end of the tube and the orifice 37 acting as an air inlet to the reservoir, is a raised ridge 41 formed circumferentially on the tube to act as an abutment.

Yet a further embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 6. The body of the tap is formed from two metal tubes 43 and 44 each closed at one end and soldered together at 53 to position the one concentrically within the other. A metallic cap 51 having a flange 52 is mounted on the closed end of the tap to provide a linger grip and abutment. The open end of the outer tube 43 is bent inwardly and the open end of the inner tube 44 is bent outwardly to close the open annular space between the two walls of the tap at its open end, the space 45 between the double walls constituting the gas reservoir, having the gas inlet at 46 and the gas outlet of lesser cross-section at 47. The liquid inlet orifice 49 is constituted by the open end of the inner tube 44 which has outlet orifice 50 disposed adjacent to, and indeed concentrically of, the gas inlet 46. The liquid flowing tthrough the tap will pass out by outlet orifice 50 through gas inlet 46 leaving an annular space around the flowing liquid for the ingress of air to the reservoir and ultimately to the interior of the liquid containing vessel. A circumferential ridge 43 around the outer tube 43 constitutes the inner abutment as a counterpart to the outer abutment 52.

It should be mentioned that there is a lower limit to the size in which those embodiments of the liquid withdrawal device of this invention having the gas reservoir may be made, as will be readily apparent, since there is a size below which the hydrostatic head between the liquid outlet orifice and the gas outlet of the gas reservoir is insufficient to permit of steady fiow. It should also be mentioned that the gas outlet from the gas reservoir must not be too close to a point at which liquid is moving rapidly during operation of the device lest turbulence upsets the steady ingress of air to the interior of the liquid container, and the viscosity or the liquid with which the device is to be used should be taken into account in this connection.

It will be appreciated that the means for providing for the entry of air to an otherwise closed container from which liquid is being withdrawn, as described above, may be used otherwise than in conjunction with the particular means for the withdrawal of liquid from a container referred to above.

Accordingly, the present invention also provides means for withdrawing liquid from a closed liquid container comprising a tube having liquid inlet and outlet ports disposed apart along the length thereof and a gas inlet or inlets therein for the passage of gas in counter-current to the liquid flow, said gas inlet or inlets communicating with a gas reservoir within the tube having a gas outlet above the level of the gas inlet, said gas outlet being of lesser cross-sectional area than that of the gas inlet or inlets, and said liquid inlet and gas outlet beirgl adapted to communicate with the interior of the liquid container.

The preceding description contains a number of references to the liquid withdrawal devices of the invention as being of metal, but it will be appreciated that thc devices may also be formed from certain plastic materials, for example polystyrene, polyethylene or polymethyl methacrylate.

We claim:

1. A liquid-transfer device comprising a tube havingv two abutments formed thereon, said abutments extending radially beyond the peripheral surface of the tube, said tube having inlet and outlet ports formed therein at points spaced apart along said tube, at least one of said ports being formed in the tube at a point intermediate said two abutments, a surge chamber formed within said tube with a gas inlet and a gas outlet formed therein communicating to the exterior of said tube, said gas outlet being of substantially lesser cross-sectional area than the gas inlet, said gas inlet and gas outlet being at points disposed apart along the length of the tube and on opposing sides of the longitudinal axis thereof, one at least out of the gas inlet and the gas outlet communieating with the exterior of the tube at a point intermediate said two abutments.

2. A liquid-transfer device comprising a tubular body, a pair of abutments on and extending radially beyond the peripheral surface of said tubular body thereby defining therebetween a part of the length of said tubular body, said length being formed with an outlet port from` said tubular body at a position between said abutments, said tubular body being formed with an inlet port thereto at a position displaced in the direction of the length thereof from said outlet port, partition means within said tubular body cooperative with the walls thcreol to define the walls of an internal surge chamber, said partition means being provided with an edge which divides a single opening in the tubular body to form the outlet port and a gas inlet to said surge chamber at a position on said dened length, and the walls of sazt surge chamber having a gas outlet of substantially smaller cross-sectional area than said gas inlet at a position such that when the tubular body is oriented horizontally with the gas inlet directed downwardly the gas outlet is located at a higher level than the gas inlet, tl"-y arrangement being such that when said defined length is positioned through the wall of a liquid-containing vessel, liquid can pass from said vessel via the outlet and inlet ports while gas can pass into said vessel via the gas inlet and the gas outlet.

3. A liquid-transfer device comprising a tubular body, a pair of abutments on and extending radially beyond the peripheral surface of said tubular body thereby defining therebetween a part of the length of said tubular body, said length being formed with an outlet port from said tubular body at a position between said abutments, said tubular body being formed with an inlet port thereto at a position displaced in the direction of the length thereof from said outlet port, partition means within said tubular body cooperative with the walls thereof to define the walls of an internal surge chamber, said tubular body being formed with a gas inlet to said surge chamber at a position on said defined length, and the walls of said surge chamber having a gas outlet of substantially smaller cross-sectional area than said gas inlet at a position such that when the tubular body is oriented horizontally with the gas inlet directed downwardly the gas outlet is located at a higher level than the gas inlet, the arrangement being such that when said defined length is positioned through the wall of a liquidcontaining vessel, liquid can pass from said vessel via the outlet and inlet ports while gas can pass into said lat() vessel via the gas inlet and the gas outlet, a metallic cap having a rubber disc held in contact with the top thereof, said metallic cap having an opening in the top thereof through which said device may be passed to pass through said disc and be held reciprocably thereby at a point intermediate the abutments.

4. A liquid-transfer device according to claim 3 in which said rubber disc is formed of synthetic rubber.

5. A liquid-transfer device according to claim 3 in which said cap is a metallic spring cap in which the skirt portion is cut into a plurality of sections which on applying pressure to the top of the cap will y outwardly to enable the cap to be placed over or removed from the orifice which it is adapted to close, removal of pressure from the top of the cap causing the sections of the skirt portions to fly back into position, whereby the cap is clamped to the orifice it is adapted to close.

6. A liquid-transfer device comprising a tubular body, a pair of abutments on and extending radially beyond the peripheral surface of said tubular body thereby deining therebetween a part of the length of said tubular body, said length being formed with an outlet port from said tubular body at a position between said abutments, said tubular body being formed with an inlet port there* to at a position displaced in the direction of the length thereof from said outlet port, horizontally and axially disposed partition means within said tubular body cooperative with the walls thereof to define the walls of an internal surge chamber having a Volume at least equal to the portion of said tubular body between said inlet and outlet ports, said partition means being provided with an edge dependent therefrom which divides a single opening in the tubular body to form the outlet port and a gas inlet to said surge chamber at a position on said defined length, and the walls of said surge chamber having a gas outlet of smaller cross-sectional area than said gas inlet at a position such that when the tubular body is oriented horizontally with the gas inlet directed downwardly the gas outlet is located at a higherlevel than the gas inlet, the arrangement being such that when said defined length is positioned through the wall of a liquid-containing vessel, liquid can pass from said vessel via the outlet and inlet ports while gas can pass into said vessel via the gas inlet and the gas outlet.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 464,276 Delane DEC. 1,'1891 1,738,077 Petersen Dec. 3, 1929 2,424,101 Lari July 15, 1947 

